]]>https://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/09/26/match-preview-nottingham-forest-v-fulham/feed/09528Now is not the time to panichttps://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/09/25/now-is-not-the-time-to-panic/
https://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/09/25/now-is-not-the-time-to-panic/#respondMon, 25 Sep 2017 14:48:01 +0000https://seatpitch.co.uk/?p=9521

One win in five league games mean Nottingham Forest's strong start to the season seems a distant memory. But although Mark Warburton has work to do, the club is still coming out of 'intensive care'

It was bound to happen. At some point we’d lose a few games this season, an injury or three would keep at least one key player out of the side and performances would suffer for one reason or another.

We’ve been here before; the cyclical nature of the Fawaz years — hit refresh and hope it all works out better next time. Except we’ve seen what happens. And we’ve seen the downward spiral of that approach.

We’re practically where we were five years ago when Sean O’Driscoll was trying something similar — a new owner, a new manager trying to instil new methods whilst trying to assess the strengths and weaknesses in the squad.

Now this doesn’t mean that O’Driscoll then, or Warburton now, are beyond reproach. It doesn’t mean anyone is beyond criticism. It doesn’t mean we meekly stand by and watch a side give away soft goals week in, week out.

But it does mean we’re in a process of renewal. It does mean that we trust the owner and the manager to have a plan and to stick to it. It does mean that there will be ups and downs.

We were almost relegated to League One less than five months ago. Chairman Nicholas Randall QC described the club as ‘not fit for purpose’ less than four months ago. It’s going to be a long way back — but a way back with a robust plan for the future.

It’s clear to see what Warburton’s trying to do — the focus on passing and possession is surely what many Forest fans have longed for. But this doesn’t come easily — he’s working with a budget and a nucleus of players from last season, getting buy-in to his philosophy and methods will take months.

There’s a lot to already be positive about. But yes, if we’re slipping down the league and our position looks perilous then maybe we should be expecting a shift in dynamics. However, as it stands we’re comfortably mid-table and three points off the play-off places. Will we make the top six? You might want to consider sport.netbet.co.uk, but it’s most likely something to aspire to next season.

The tinkering with formation (3-4-2-1, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3) reflects a tactical nous and demonstrates there is not just a Plan A — indeed it also reflects an eye on the long term. You might argue a straight 4-4-2 could get us promoted, but take a look at what’s happening in the Premier League. The standard 4-2-3-1 is shifting to a 3-4-2-1 at many clubs. Leicester City might have won the title with a less orthodox 4-4-2 but without Kante that lack of protection to the back four is exposed.

Dougie Freedman, rightly or wrongly, was castigated for his defensive dour — but with a back four protected by two holding midfielders and Dorus de Vries in goal we conceded a mere 47 goals in 2015-16 with defenders including Mills, Mancienne, Hobbs, Lichaj, Fox et al. Compare that to the 72 goals conceded last season and it’s clearly a question of finding a balance

Similarly, it’s frustrating to see Ben Brereton not playing as an out-and-out striker; but have trust in the manager if doesn’t believe he’s equipped to lead the line yet. He’s getting regular football, rather than coming on as an impact sub — isn’t that what we want? Our young Academy players to start games? No, he’s not a winger but he’s not expected to be — it’s a wide forward position in any of our formations. And he’ll learn a lot from Daryl Murphy.

Losing games like Saturday is frustrating. But it’s no time to panic. We’re at the beginning of a process and while we all dream of promotion we’re clearly some way off — let’s not run before we can walk.

Let’s not forget the words of the chairman back in June: ‘To use the medical analogy the club is in intensive care. It is our job to ensure that we nurse the club back to health. It is rare in life for anything of value to come easily… Furthermore, as with any journey in life, there will be mistakes made and some setbacks are also inevitable. We will no doubt stumble and occasionally fall, but we promise you that we will keep getting up again until the job is done.’

]]>https://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/09/23/match-preview-aston-villa-v-nottingham-forest/feed/09512Thoughts on the season so far…https://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/09/06/thoughts-on-the-season-so-far/
https://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/09/06/thoughts-on-the-season-so-far/#commentsWed, 06 Sep 2017 06:30:34 +0000https://seatpitch.co.uk/?p=9492

As the international break draws to a close and Nottingham Forest return to action this weekend, we look back on the season so far and how the club has progressed

Five games in the league, a couple of cup matches, an international break and the closing of the transfer window… it’s not much to go on. And yet we were battling relegation in May and everything — practically everything — has changed in a matter of months.

It’s clearly too early to predict anything but as Nottingham Forest sit in sixth place ahead of a return to action this weekend at Hillsborough, what do we think about the progress so far? What is a realistic expectation this season? And is it time to consider your betting strategy on the play-off places? We asked three of our regular writers how they see things at the moment and what the future promises.

Paul Severn

The international break always offers an opportunity to reflect and I’m sure any fan would’ve taken a haul of three league wins and two cup victories from the first seven matches. The Championship is a tight, unpredictable league and most games could’ve gone either way. It’s easy to forget that Forest had the same record last season under Philippe Montanier, but supporters must be more hopeful that this good start will continue – with better players, better management and of course, better ownership.

Some of our attacking play has been sensational – despite the huge loss of Britt Assombalonga. Crucially it looks like the money has been spent well, to upgrade the whole squad. It must be a nightmare just to pick the bench, never mind the starting line-up. The season has already given us some fantastic moments – scoring four away at Brentford, great theatre with Britt’s return and a magnificent win at Newcastle.

However, football always has a sting in the tail and the Leeds defeat was a classic reality check. Mark Warburton seemed frustrated and unsatisfied after the match, so I think we too as fans, can be clear where we need to improve. Both Millwall and Leeds have been able to shut us down too easily and that is a concern. But the biggest worry is the number of goals conceded from set pieces.

In the Daily Record, rumoured target and now Birmingham City player, Harlee Dean said set pieces were not practised at Brentford under Warburton. Whether this was true or remains the case at Forest, the weakness must be addressed. This isn’t saying Forest should change their style and play like a Neil Warnock side, but the very best Forest teams ensured they didn’t negate attacking brilliance by conceding silly, avoidable goals.

Obviously playing out from the back brings its risks and rewards. This has put pressure on young, developing players like Joe Worrall and Jordan Smith. Both have protected the Forest goal with bravery and skill and should be applauded. I know there is no room for sentiment in football, but it seems a little harsh on Smith that the arrival of Adam Federici could threaten his place. I’d like to give him the shirt until January at least.

But overall, it’s been fantastic to have our Forest back. The attendances have been superb and there’s a real buzz around the ground. There will be tough times ahead, but when you consider how close we were to League One oblivion, it’s great to be moving in the right direction.

Andrew Brookes

There’s no easy route to earn success in the Championship but it’s probably fair to say that the ‘Warburton way’ is harder to get right than others. Trying to pass your way out of the division is ambitious but it’s also admirable and, if we’re honest, it’s the sort of football that we’d like to be known for. You don’t become a slick passing team overnight and the games so far have shown that there’s still much work to be done before we’re anything like the ‘finished article’ but we’ve seen enough to know that big strides have been taken in the right direction.

From the absurdly cheap Barrie McKay to the power and experience of Daryl Murphy and the sheer class of loanee Keiran Dowell, smart signings have meant a side shorn of its star striker looks a better all-round team without breaking the bank. What a difference an off-field structure makes.

Of the 16 goals scored, only two came from players on the books last season – League Cup strikes for Muzzy Carayol and Tyler Walker – showing that the new boys have hit the ground running.

Liam Bridcutt should, in time, add much needed steel to support our flair and free up David Vaughan to go about dictating play.

The main concern continues to be the defence. Barring Tendayi Darikwa, this is the same unit that shipped 72 goals last term – the second-worst record behind rock-bottom Rotherham – and some familiar sloppy mistakes have been made. The new playing style only adds to the pressure on the defence to perform too.

The pre-break defeat to Leeds ought to keep feet on the ground – and provide lessons to learn – but shouldn’t spoil a positive start. Breaking a 10-year hoodoo at Brentford was superb and the Newcastle cup win showed the depth and variety in the squad. The Middlesbrough home win was also a great day. A stylish and energetic first-half followed by a grittier second-half, with smart substitutions and tactical changes, made for a decent blueprint for taking on good teams at home and, let’s be honest, it was funny to see Britt Assombalonga wilt under the pressure.

We have been here before. Pearce had four wins and a draw in the league by now, and Montanier had three wins and two defeats. Warburton has the benefit of a better ownership structure to support him, but faces the challenge of sustaining the early progress. Trips to Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland and Villa, the visit of Wolves and Fulham and a Chelsea cup tie mean make for a tough schedule ahead. Let’s hope we’re still smiling by the next international break.

Peter Blackburn

A week is a long time in politics. And in football four months feels like a completely different existence.

On 7 May Nottingham Forest were a club on the brink of a relegation that could have had a huge impact. At best the club would’ve faced the difficult task of climbing back out of League One with different owners and a likely-ravaged first team squad. At worst Fawaz Al Hasawi could have still been in charge of a rapidly sinking ship.

But a 3-0 win against Ipswich saved the day: genuine disaster was averted. Forest’s takeover by Greek shipping magnate Evangelos Marinakis sailed through smoothly and the City Ground suddenly looked a much brighter place –thanks to a lick of paint, a little love and attention; and a genuine footballing structure with a well-reputed chairman, experienced chief executive, savvy director of football and sharp management and coaching team in place.

The summer was a textbook guide to how to operate in a transfer market inflated by ego, greed and, in some cases, utter lunacy. Forest’s talent-spotter extraordinaire Frank McParland quietly and stealthily went about his business acquiring hungry, talented, exciting footballers for fractions of the prices clubs across the country would pay for lesser equivalents. In particular former Rangers star Barrie McKay, who at just £500,000 looks like the sort of talent who wouldn’t be completely out of place with a price tag 20 times what the Reds paid.

On the pitch the positives are obvious too. Forest are a team building an identity and a style of play and the fans have flocked back to support a club which is pulling in the same direction after so many years of shambolic mismanagement. The players look happy and fit and with the club sitting in sixth place in the table at the international break the signs are very positive – particularly because this side doesn’t appear to be anywhere near its best yet, despite early flourishes.

Expectations are growing – but patience may be needed this season. This is a new club and a new side born out of the ashes of an abusive past and it may take time to get things right. If luck is on Forest’s side a play-off run is by no means out of the question, but if there is a rockier path ahead the people in charge at all levels have already shown they deserve time, and by time I do not mean one season, to get things right in all areas. The future can, and will, be bright if club and fans stick together.

Surveying 10 football clubs, at the whim of foreign owners, Bob Holmes’ book details the stories of the good, the bad and the ugly stalking the game

Football’s changed. It’s not what it used to be. It’s all about money… Let’s be honest, many things have changed since the creation of the Premier League — the internet, house prices, politics, the size of Cadbury’s Crème Eggs.

The success of English football — namely the Premier League, and certainly not the England national side — has been phenomenal. And the international interest in investing in the UK has not been specific to sport — many of our best-known industries and brands are now foreign owned; many good, many not so much.

So foreign owners in football is not necessarily a bad thing and Bob Holmes’ book — subtitled ‘the good, bad and ugly of football’s foreign owners’ — acknowledges that. Indeed how many Chelsea fans or Man City fans regret their takeovers? Similarly, while it’s nice to be nostalgic, there’s no issue with a globally popular industry having globally interested finance.

Of course, there are always many different outcomes — some owners are good, some owners are just terrible; and it doesn’t matter where they’re from. And nicely bookending the Fawaz Al Hasawi years, Nottingham Forest fans are only too familiar with an egotistic, shambolic regime that really was only in it for the fame and money. Similarly, some just don’t work out despite best intentions.

As the introduction states: ‘The verdicts are as mixed as their motives and the jury is still out in some cases. Overall, the successes far outweigh the crackpot moments and the Premier League would not be a must-see for a sizable chunk of mankind without them. But what is becoming increasingly apparent is the widening disconnect between owners and fans. Successes on the field and on the balance sheet are not always in tandem, and sometimes the very DNA of the club will feel tampered with.’

However, like any journalist, Holmes is interested in the story — and the 10 clubs he’s chosen have some ‘cracking’ ones to tell. From Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers to Notts County, Portsmouth and Queens Park Rangers, it’s a great job of revealing as much as possible of the inside story with detailed research and telling quotes from well-placed sources.

The story of Nottingham Forest is wrapped up in 48 pages of the 364-page book but does a good job of summarising the increasingly desperate and disastrous Fawaz years. Contrasting the shambolic post-Cloughie era, culminating in the ill-fated Gang of Four consortium, with the Nigel Doughty years and the subsequent five years, Holmes — if you can bear it — reminds us of the City Ground’s misfortunes.

The chapters on the other nine clubs are an interesting counterpoint in how bad — or good — things could have been. And as Forest turn from one foreign owner to another, there can be — as it currently stands — no clearer example of the difference between a good owner and a terrible one.

As we walked away from the City Ground on the final day of last season, Britt Assombalonga’s smile was shared with every Forest fan. Our number nine had saved us. A calm penalty and a ferocious finish into the roof of the net ensured that our summer was time to look forward to the future, rather than the abyss of League One. But, like many Forest heroes, Britt now is also just a memory.

It’s easy to remember just the good times though. I remember travelling up to Middlesborough on a freezing Boxing Day and saw him substituted at half-time by Stuart Pearce after a half-hearted display. And of course there was penalty-gate last season against Cardiff. His terrible knee injury was one of the worst ever witnessed at the City Ground and after his initial, rusty returns as a substitute, I wondered whether he’d actually make it back. I’ll never forget the pure relief as Forest fans tumbled onto the pitch at MK Dons when Britt showed us he could come back after all. And that comeback was confirmed, once and for all, in his final game for the Reds.

We’ve been through a lot with Britt and it hurts that he has gone. But of course he is not the first talented Forest forward to be snapped up by richer clubs. Oliver Burke and Michail Antonio immediately spring to mind, but we can scan through Forest history to see history repeating itself – Pierre van Hooijdonk, Stan Collymore, Nigel Clough, Teddy Sheringham, Peter Davenport, Ian Storey-Moore and many more left a hole when they departed. It’s also easy to rewrite history when it came to our greatest era. The likes of Trevor Francis, Garry Birtles and Tony Woodcock moved on to pastures new because, in reality, Forest have always been a selling club, as most clubs are.

I don’t really agree with the analysis that football has changed too much in this way. Yes, Britt will have an agent and he will be handsomely rewarded at his new club. But we have to take it as a given, that top players will move on – as they have done in the past. They are not fans, and apart from some exceptions, do not think like fans. My family has supported Forest for over 110 years – so I’d never expect Assombalonga to share the same affinity with Forest.

However, I can see why some fans do panic. I remember in 1995 attending a reserve game. Stan Collymore had left the club. I was devastated but we had £8.5 million to replace him. Part of that record fee was spent on the infamous Andrea Silenzi, the first Italian to play in the Premier League. I was excited to see Silenzi wear the Forest colours and replace my hero. As we all know, it did not work out – because it often doesn’t. In theory, a hefty fee should allow you to reinvest with committed players to refresh the team. But the likes of Silenzi, Robert Rosario, the tragic Justin Fashanu and more recently, Lica, show that usually, losing quality players will weaken a side. With Forest only escaping relegation on goal difference, it is natural and understandable that fans will fear the worst post-Britt.

However, it is hard to blame the club. Keeping unhappy, want-away players is an option, but not an appealing one. Lee Camp was told to stay after interest from Swansea and became a shadow of his former self. Kelvin Wilson also disappeared entirely after interest from Celtic. In professional sport, players must be 100% committed, because at Championship level, you cannot be at half-pace. An eight-figure fee for a player with a bad injury record could be seen as good business at a pragmatic level.

But the main point I have about the sale is the fact it is to a Championship club. For £15 million. For me, this signals the complete and total failure of parachute payments and Financial Fair Play. I am not an accountant, but as a sports fan of 30 years, I cannot understand what is happening in our league. A parachute payment, presumably, is to allow a soft-landing into the Championship following relegation to ‘avoid another Portsmouth’. I could accept that, until we see John Terry sign for Aston Villa. There are other examples of the likes of Fulham, Norwich City and now Middlesbrough, making huge purchases, using money that has been awarded to them for failure. Betting on promotion remains a precarious business, even with bonus codes. It seems to me that while the parachute payments have been increased and extended, the Financial Fair Play rules remain strict, mostly for clubs without parachute income. A club like Forest, with new owners looking to build, must sell, while a club such as Huddersfield will become super-rich for several seasons based on one play-off promotion.

This unfairness seems all the more irritating when you compare football to the United States. The most capitalist country on earth takes a very different view to sport – redistributing merchandise income, giving the first college draft picks to the worst performing teams, and even in the National Football League, modifying the fixture-weighting to ensure closer competition. Yes, relegation is not an issue in these closed-shop leagues, but our football has serious thinking to do if it is to remain competitive and fair into the future. For me, the sale of Oliver Burke to the sporting offshoot of an energy drink company was perhaps an even bigger damning indictment of our sport than the sale of Assombalonga. Things must change, and soon.

However, at the moment, all of this is out of our hands. The new Forest regime is now charged with putting a competitive side out against Millwall on 4 August. Despite the loss of Assombalonga, we need to improve and I am confident we will. Clubs such as Southampton, Swansea and even Tottenham Hotspur have lost critical players and continued to do well. Forest must get better at scouting replacements and unlike last season, planning with the managerial team when players are sold so suitable replacements can be found in a timely manner. It is appalling to think how much of the Oliver Burke money was wasted on Niklas Bendtner, Ross McCormack and Lica. That must not and cannot happen again and under Mark Warburton and Frank McParland. I am confident that it won’t.

Forest were run so appallingly under Fawaz Al Hasawi, it is understandable that fans panic when a side so close to relegation loses its top scorer. But we also must remember that we spent far more than the likes of Burton Albion for such little reward. This was due to a total lack of structure and strategy, more than selling top players for profit. Football is become ever more unfair as money distorts the competition, but to survive we will have to face moments like this in a more professional way. The ghosts of Silenzi and Rosario still haunt Trentside, but last season we got a glimpse of how we can approach the future. Ben Brereton’s winner against big-spending Aston Villa gave hope to all teams fighting against the unfairness now engrained in our League. With clever management and development of players, Forest might yet improve this season, even without our number nine.

The disastrous five-year reign of Fawaz Al Hasawi, which almost ended in relegation to League One two weeks ago, comes to an end and the City Ground can now look forward to some stability.

Marinakis holds 80% of investment vehicle NF Football Investments, with telecommunications tycoon Sokratis Kominakis who holds 20%, having passed the Football League’s owners’ and directors’ test.

The Greek shipping magnate told the BBC: “I’m not going to promise promotions, championships, etc. What I can tell you is we like to work hard, we know what we are doing.

“We have a long-term plan and within this long-term plan we want to bring Nottingham to where it belongs. And of course Nottingham belongs in the Premier League. And Nottingham belongs to the elite of the Premier League.”

The 49-year-old owner of Piraeus club Olympiacos has been involved in the club for several months already, and has hit the ground running with senior positions already filled with respected sports lawyer Nicholas Randall QC as chairman, Olympiacos managing director Ioannis Vrentzos as chief executive officer, Samantha Gordon as chief financial officer, and senior manager – sponsorship at Etihad Airways David Cook as chief commercial officer.

Forest have yearned for stability, structure and experience for years and this set-up shows a real statement of intent.

Marinakis told the club website: “Forest is one of England’s oldest clubs and one with a proud history of national and international excellence. Our objective is to bring back the glory days. We are football people to the core and we love and know the game. Our team has demonstrated that we know how to create success in football by having won title after title with Olympiacos in Greek football.”

The new owner is also making all the right noises with fans, including plans to involve them in a meaningful way, hopefully paving the way for Nottingham Forest Supporters’ Trust to engage with the club.

The Trust welcomed the takeover: “The initial senior appointments, announced today, are welcome, long overdue signs of a professional, forward-thinking structure, both on and off the pitch. The immediate establishment of an executive team is to be welcomed and underlines the clear strategic ambition.

“It is now vital that this early structure is followed by ongoing investment in the infrastructure to underpin the long term success of the club. Refurbishment of The City Ground along with a central role for our outstanding youth academy would both be welcome signs of a football club ready to regain its place at the heart of the community.

“Even more encouraging is the clear desire from the new owners to closely engage fans in the club’s future decision making, committing to forming a fans council of which we can expect to be a part and represent your views to those driving the direction of Nottingham Forest.”

In the BBC interview, Marinakis discussed the alleged match-fixing scandal and denied any involvement:

“All these years, a lot has been said but nothing came out in reality. All of it has been dismissed and we have been clear from all of this.

“Now there is a last case remaining – there are about 80 persons involved. I can tell you again that I have nothing to do with it because I know very well what I have done and how I have achieved victories.”

With a takeover complete in May, senior staff appointed and a management team in place there’s every hope that Nottingham Forest will not face the dire situation it faced last season and can begin to compete at a level befitting of its stature.

]]>https://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/05/20/marinakis-finally-completes-nottingham-forest-takeover/feed/09424All change at the City Groundhttps://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/05/12/all-change-at-the-city-ground/
https://seatpitch.co.uk/2017/05/12/all-change-at-the-city-ground/#commentsFri, 12 May 2017 06:30:31 +0000https://seatpitch.co.uk/?p=9414

While supporters and players breathed near eternal sighs of relief at the City Ground on Sunday, Nottingham Forest boss Mark Warburton and director of football Frank McParland’s thoughts had already turned to next season. Peter Blackburn hopes for a bright future on the banks of the Trent

While supporters and players breathed near eternal sighs of relief at the City Ground on Sunday, Nottingham Forest boss Mark Warburton and director of football Frank McParland’s thoughts had already turned to next season. Peter Blackburn hopes for a bright future on the banks of the Trent

For years – certainly the five years of Fawaz Al Hasawi’s calamitous ownership – Nottingham Forest have lacked the sort of planning, focus and vision that has brought success to teams like Brighton, Burnley and Bournemouth.

And on Sunday, for painful minutes which seemed like hours, it seemed the Reds, and Al Hasawi, were going to reap the rotten rewards of mismanagement with another spell in League One.

But a remarkable 3-0 win built on unforgettable performances from home-grown stars like Joe Worrall, Jordan Smith and Ben Osborn who — along with more experience teammates — refused to be beaten, has given Forest supporters, staff and players the chance for a fresh start.

But rather than reflecting on an afternoon which must have started with him questioning his decision to even take a phone call from Nottingham Forest’s senior management, let alone agree to take the job, but ended with Champagne corks popping across the city, Warburton was already looking to the future.

“We do have a clear idea of what we want to do… You cannot wait to start looking; to start planning,” he said.

Warburton’s words – and indeed his confident gaze and steely determination as be speaks – should give Forest fans even more confidence and pleasure than the result against Ipswich on Sunday. This is a man, along with his wider team, offering the sort of stability and plan this team, this club, desperately needs.

Each of the past five seasons has seen a poorer performance on the pitch, a more concerning final standing in the league and deeper misery off the pitch at Nottingham Forest.

The club has been mired in managerial changes, vast incomings and outgoings, staff sackings and general chaos and calamity have ruled in the corridors of the City Ground.

Unpaid bills, rumours of player revolts, a well-trodden path of back-office staff from Forest’s employment to that of Notts County and a growing sense of apathy have added to the problems.

Just last season two takeover deals failed (albeit with one now likely to be resurrected), three managers held the reins, loan players were paid in salaries not dissimilar to the overall budget sheets down the A50 at Burton Albion and fans were treated with contempt yet again.

In the summer a new manager and a new director of football with no relationship were brought to the club and a fragmented recruitment policy followed heavily bolstering the list of contenders for worst Forest player ever.

The summer culminated in the sale of Forest’s brightest youth prospect for years, Oliver Burke, contrary to the empty pledges and promises of Al-Hasawi.

The following season reflected the madness in the running of the club more than any other to date and Forest can count themselves extremely lucky to have survived so unscathed.

Club captain, and consummate professional, Chris Cohen summed things up himself following the match, admitting that the off-the-field mess had engulfed the players.

But change is coming – and soon these reflections will, one would hope, be memories of a different, distant past.

The future is likely to lie in the hands of Evangelos Marinakis and his staff, subject to Football League approval.

But most importantly it should lie in the hands of an experienced chief executive or general manager; Frank McParland, a director of football with an impressive record; and Mark Warburton, a head coach Forest probably, based on recent events, don’t deserve.

Warburton has proven his worth already – and this is not a coach made for a relegation battle, this is a coach with loftier ambitions and the skillset to coax Forest, if the stability behind the scenes can return to the City Ground, into the sort of performances and results which could threaten much higher up the table.

The manager is clearly already preparing for that task – with “quality” the word most on his lips.

“You have to identify areas where you can strengthen; areas where you can add more quality. It is not about adding nine or 10 players, it is about adding three or four to the squad and using the loan market, if we have to,’ he said, after the final whistle on Sunday.

And this City Ground revolution does not only offer the possibility of the sort of football Forest fans have clamoured for but with the heart and soul of the city at its centre, too.

Warburton said: “If your young players are good enough, you give them a chance. Because there is no point in having an academy otherwise. I have no problem building a team with Jordan (Smith), Ben Osborn, Ben Brereton, Cashy (Matt Cash) and Joe Worrall at the centre of it. If they are good enough, you give them a chance.”

Warburton’s long-term priorities for this Forest side are clear and positive – build on the talent currently within the team, extend the successes of the pathway between academy and first-team and fight further up the table, dominating the ball at home and away.

In the short-term, getting rid of players, and selling the club to others, will be the day-to-day duties for both Warburton and McParland, should the latter agree to extend his contract, and it is vital incoming owner Marinakis provides sensible financial and practical support in all these areas.

Two full-backs, a central midfielder and an attacking winger are likely to be on the shortlist, at least, but a new owner should not mean a return to the gung-ho attitude to the City Ground balance sheets. Forest’s financial mismanagement is to blame for many of the failures at the club. There should be no more £40,000 a week contracts, no more players with more hospital appointments than first-team appearances and a recruitment and scouting team and a full analysis department must be put in place immediately.

All these tools will allow Warburton and his team to succeed, and success for them means success for Forest.

A former senior figure at Forest, speaking privately, said Al Hasawi was well meaning but that he had made so many mistakes that Nottingham Forest’s performance in all areas of the business could not recover.

As a result, the history books will speak of the Kuwaiti years, of the great last day escape from relegation and of the carnage of mismanagement at this provincial club which once punched so far above its weight.

If there is one lesson for Mr Marinakis it is this. This must be Nottingham Forest’s story, not yours. Make it a success.